The Sunday political talk shows were stacked with Republicans, and most of them said President Barack Obama has repeatedly showed weakness in his foreign policy, bolstering Russian President Vladimir Putin’s resolve and agenda in Ukraine.

If you missed any of the Sunday political chatter, we've got you covered:

Obama is not weak: Tony Blinken, Obama’s deputy national security adviser, defended the President and his response to Putin’s advancement in the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine.

“With regard to Russia, in coordination with our allies, we've imposed significant sanctions on Russia, and that's already exerting a cost. We've seen Russian markets go down substantially, the ruble go down and investors sitting on the fence,” Blinken said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “Russia is paying a price for this.”

“The administration thought if we just act nice, everyone will act nice with us. That's not way that Putin and the Russian Federation sees the rest of the world,” Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on ABC’s “This Week.”

On CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Rep. Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin and potential 2016 presidential candidate, criticized the United States’ “reset” policy with Russia as “wishful, naïve thinking” – a targeted jab at fellow potential presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who led that policy as secretary of state.

And former Vice President Dick Cheney, a foreign policy hawk, was the most pointed: “We have created an image around the world - not just for the Russians - of weakness, of indecisiveness,” he told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” guest host Charlie Rose.

Cheney said the world is “a safer, more stable place when the United States leads, when we have significant military capability, and when people know we will use it if necessary.”

“They no longer fear us,” he added.

“The Syrian situation is a classic - we got all ready to do something, but … at the last minute, Obama backed off.”

Syria is not Ukraine: When CNN’s Candy Crowley asked Blinken whether Putin sensed weakness after watching the United States deal with Syria, Blinken said the civil war in Syria and the United States’ policy there had no bearing on Ukraine.

“We did take some steps in terms of providing assistance to Georgia. We had ships in the region and so forth,” Cheney told Rose.

Two paths – for Russia and for the United States: Blinken laid out the Obama administration’s plan:

“What Putin is seeing is the President mobilizing the international community, both in support of Ukraine and isolate Russia for its actions in Ukraine,” Blinken said. He added that Russia has a choice to make: continue to push forward in Ukraine and face economic repercussions, or retreat.

“The President made it very clear in announcing our sanctions, as did the Europeans the other day, that this was a first step,” Blinken said.

But some Republicans outline a different path for Obama to take.

Cheney said the ballistic missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland should be put back on the table. He also said the United States should conduct joint military training exercises in Poland and provide equipment and training to the Ukrainian military.

Oil and natural gas: Republicans, who have been pushing the Obama administration to expand domestic oil and natural gas production, read from similar scripts Sunday, saying American energy production is critical to minimizing Putin’s international influence.

Ryan: “We're a nation with vast energy reserve and potential but with a government that's seen as hostile toward developing those energy reserves. If our government changed its tune on that, if we told Europe we are going to green light the languishing permit applications for exporting natural gas to Europe, that could do a lot to send signals that we're intent on loosening Russia's grip on its energy to Europe.”

Rep. Peter King of New York on NBC’s “Meet the Press”: “We have to increase exports of liquefied natural gas. These countries like England and others and Germany cannot be forced to rely on Russia. … The natural gas - we have enough to supply so many countries in the world. And we should right now start lifting restrictions. We should begin exporting as quickly as we can.”

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky on “Fox News Sunday”: I “would immediately get every obstacle out of the way for our export of oil and gas, and I would begin drilling in every possible conceivable place within our territories in order to have production that we could supply Europe with if it's interrupted from Ukraine.”

Cheney: “Energy is also a weakness for Russia. They depend on Petroleum for 50% of their GDP. Price of oil drops a few dollars, they go into recession.”

Rand Paul is not weak, either: Paul pushed back on criticism from fellow Republicans that he is an isolationist, saying those who criticize him do so for “their own person political gain.”

Paul recently said the United States needs to have a “respectful - sometimes adversarial but a respectful – relationship.”

“In fact, what Ronald Reagan said in about one sentence sums up a lot of what I believe. He said to our potential adversary, ‘Don't mistake our reluctance for war for a lack of resolve,’” Paul said.

Now for some politics: The annual Conservative Political Action Conference wrapped up Sunday with Sarah Palin reading a parody of Dr. Seuss’ children’s book “Green Eggs and Ham.”

But the real headline- grabbers from the conference were the nearly dozen possible 2016 presidential contenders who addressed the activist crowd and the fact that Paul was the overwhelming winner of the straw poll.

As Paul put it, CPAC is a friendly crowd because it is “chock full of young people” who share his concern over privacy rights even though he is also reaching out to Attorney General Eric Holder to repeal felon voting bans.

“I don't mind saying that I agree with the President or Eric Holder on this because I think the people who know me know that I will stand up to the President when he's wrong, which I think is quite a bit of the time,” he said.

Paul joked that at a friendly lunch to talk about felon voting, Paul said to Holder, "I'll see you in court," referring to his suit against he Obama administration's surveillance program.

soundoff(510 Responses)

Marie MD

Oh yes, the Hollywood demi god reagan. The real party guy with the big state dinners who slept through most of his presidency to have almost every freaking building in DC named after him. It's still national airport for most of us in this area.
As far as the NSA sue the shrub #43 administration but I take it that it was okay when he did it.
That big tent will crush them all. Can't wait to see the result.

March 9, 2014 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

Tommy G

The Obama administration foreign policy with Russia was called the Russian Reset. It was supposedly one of Hillary Clinton's big accomplishments as Secretary of State. Well, it appears this reset was total farce, a disaster and a green light for Putin to do whatever he wanted as Obama slaps Russian PMs on the knee and tells them he can be more flexible after his re-election. Everything Obama has done over 5 years has signaled weakness and indecision. Now he wants to gut the military as all leftists and Democrats do once in office.

March 9, 2014 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

Expat American

If Obama is weak then send these same GOP Lawmakers to Crimea as the United States' first 'Boots on the Ground'.

McConnel and Graham lead the charge. Problem solved in more ways than one.

March 9, 2014 04:20 pm at 4:20 pm |

just asking

so what has obama done over the last 5 years to ensure that the ukraine was firmly headed towards europe and the west? nothing. what has he done to help them and show their future is better with the eu? nothing. what has he done to firm up the ukraine military to counter the russian threat? nothing. he knew russia was a country invader as they went into georgia. the evidence was there for all to see. i guess he thought if he spoke nice to putin and slapped them on the knee, all would be well? obama is naive, incompetent and stupid when it comes to foreign affairs.

March 9, 2014 04:29 pm at 4:29 pm |

ChrisM

Politicians are like a box of chocolate, Democrats are soft and gooey inside and republicans a mostly nuts.

March 9, 2014 04:35 pm at 4:35 pm |

Marie MD

@just asking what have you done to make this country better except to follow the teaklans who arppseem more communist than Russia ever was/is (really)?
We have enough teaklan dictators wannabes and home grown terrorists to deal with.

Who cares what the braindead GOP party of STUPID says or does , they will find out in November what HIDING behind obamacare and offering nothing to the American people but EMPTY words does for them. Loss of the house , that's what!!!!!

March 9, 2014 04:46 pm at 4:46 pm |

Gurgyl

Obama is not weak, he is strong–proof? Passed ACA Act, stocks are living proof regardless of GOP thugs obstruction at every step because he is first black president. GOP is dead, out of their mind. If he runs for third term I shall vote for him. Unfortunately president can not. We need term limits to congress/senate thugs.

March 9, 2014 04:54 pm at 4:54 pm |

robert

Just more partisan, Obama worshipping garbage from the leftwing nut-jobs at CNN. Obama couldn't care less about what happens to the rest of the world. He is too preoccupied with turning this country from a sovereign state of capitalism and individual freedoms to an open-borders socialist garbage pit governed by collectivists and statists. Maybe the Libs should travel over to the Ukraine and see firsthand why its citizens are revolting against Totalitarianism.

I will never trust a Republican telling me what is proper in regards to foreign policy. This was the party that pushed for a war with false pretenses and was unable to kill Bin laden. I support Obama's push for sanctions and diplomacy in regard to Ukraine. The is not the time for Washington partisanship. Republicans need to grow up.

March 9, 2014 05:01 pm at 5:01 pm |

Anonymous

For the first time in my life I am ashamed of my country and the media who run it into the ground politically by continuing to allow this type of anti-American talk to ferment and grow.

Tommy goof, the GOP sequester is responsible for the defense cuts, you get what you pay for, in the GOPs case that would be not much. Cut cut cut every thing at our expense!!!!!

March 9, 2014 05:03 pm at 5:03 pm |

Obamacare & Democrats - Doubling Down on the Lies

Everybody was worried when Obama was elected about his inexperience with foreign affairs. They were right to be worried and now after seeing his performance, they were 100% correct. But Joe Biden was supposed to be the seasoned veteran to save him and help him out when that 3am phone call came. Well, after Benghazi and now the Ukraine invasion, we know he is just as worthless as Obama when it comes to foreign policy.

Where is the Obama Reset button so we can reverse the result of the last election. 3 more years of this is unthinkable.

March 9, 2014 05:04 pm at 5:04 pm |

Jack

U mean Obama should be strong as in George W Bush Texan cowboy strong?

March 9, 2014 05:26 pm at 5:26 pm |

Jim Jimson

Putin and the whole world saw us invade Iraq on a pack of Republican lies.

That's what has emboldened him to invade Crimea.

March 9, 2014 05:27 pm at 5:27 pm |

geraldine

wow, the far right tea party nut cases are about as against America as one can get!

March 9, 2014 05:28 pm at 5:28 pm |

Independent Thinker

"The Obama administration foreign policy with Russia was called the Russian Reset. It was supposedly one of Hillary Clinton's big accomplishments as Secretary of State. Well, it appears this reset was total farce, a disaster and a green light for Putin to do whatever he wanted as Obama slaps Russian PMs on the knee and tells them he can be more flexible after his re-election. "

Nailed it. This administration's strong suit is lying, controlling the press, and using the IRS to target political opponents.

March 9, 2014 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |

Peter Whittam

No one has to play an "Obama is Weak" card. Everyone can see it. The ACA is a failure and a tax on our great great grand children, and he has done nothing but double and nearly triple our national debt.

March 9, 2014 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |

keller29299

Expat American

If Obama is weak then send these same GOP Lawmakers to Crimea as the United States' first 'Boots on the Ground'.

McConnel and Graham lead the charge. Problem solved in more ways than one.

those cowards will run for the hills

March 9, 2014 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |

CaesarXIII

Democrats find any excuse to attack Republicans when the rest of the world looks at your Golden Boy as a laughing joke. Don't worry, Obama will just make some speeches and go on vacation like he's been doing the last 5 years.

March 9, 2014 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |

ldavid69

Really? After he oversaw a gutsy mission to get Osama bin Ladin when W caved. The GOP is a complete joke. They really are.

March 9, 2014 05:30 pm at 5:30 pm |

Persimmon

Diplomacy, consensus building, reasonable solutions are much, much harder than just being a bully and tearing in with killing machines.. Guns and bombs are too easy. It's hard to save human life, and protect democracy. Very very difficult. Luckily our president is up to the task. I suppose the GOP doesn't care one bit about our people in uniform getting killed, or innocents on the ground being killed. What a stupid typical crass idea. Thank goodness we have a very strong president who can do it. Only bullies win with violence. And they make more enemies every day by being violent.

March 9, 2014 05:30 pm at 5:30 pm |

sonofthunder73@hotmail.com

Look I am no Obama supporter but Gates is right. The Republicans need to tone down the criticism. Military action is not the answer here, at this stage in the game.